Portable Multipurpose Cooking Utensil

ABSTRACT

A portable, multipurpose cooking utensil includes a base pan adapted to retain a grill having a dome-shaped, transparent lid thereon. The device also includes a heat control unit that allows a user to select the amount heat delivered to the grill. The heat control unit may be replaced with a broiling pan or frying pan, if desired.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is entitled to the benefit of provisional applicationNo. 60/842,911 filed on Sep. 7, 2006, the specification of which isincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a portable cooking utensil havinginterchangeable components that allow it to be converted to a grill,broiler, poacher or simmering pan.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Evenly distributing heat around a food item usually results in faster,more efficient cooking. Various convection ovens and grills have beenheretofore designed that purportedly circulate heat around the peripheryof a food item. However, such appliances are large, stationary and havelimited versatility. Accordingly, there is currently a need for aconvection type cooking utensil that is portable and versatile. Thepresent invention addresses this need by providing a uniquely designedutensil having numerous interchangeable components that allow it to beconverted to a roaster, a simmering pan, a broiler or a grill.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a portable, multipurpose cookingutensil including a base pan adapted to retain a grill having adome-shaped, transparent lid superimposed thereon. The device alsoincludes a heat control unit that allows a user to select the amountheat delivered to the grill. The heat control unit may be replaced witha broiling pan, a simmering pan and/or a frying pan, if desired.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide amulti-purpose cooker that directs heat from an external source about theperiphery of a food item.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-purposecooker that can be interchangeably converted to a roaster, a broiler, afryer and grill.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide amultipurpose cooker that can be used with any available energy sourcesuch as charcoal, firewood, gas or electricity.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome readily apparent from the following detailed description of thepreferred embodiment when considered with the attached drawings and theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the base pan and accompanying lid.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the base pan.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the base pan.

FIG. 4 is a front, cross-sectional view of the base pan.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the device being used as a grill ordry cooker.

FIG. 6 is a side, cross-sectional view of the device being used as apoacher or broiler.

FIG. 7 is a side, cross-sectional view of the device being used as adeep broiler for larger meats or soups.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention relates to a cooking utensil. The device comprisesa base pan 1 having a lower surface, a continuous outer wall and an opentop. The lower surface includes a pair of crescent-shaped vents 2 formedthereon for providing ambient air and heat to the base pan interior. Thevents are formed by a circular baffle 40 having two upturned sections 60that more efficiently direct heat into the base pan interior.

Around the interior of the outer wall of the base pan, adjacent the opentop, are upper 3 and lower 4 annular grooves. The lower groove 4supports a cooking grill 5 while the upper groove supports a dome-shapedglass cover 6. The cover includes a heat-resistant knob 62 on an upperportion thereof allowing the hot cover to be removed without pot holdersor other protective articles. The cooking grill is part of a temperaturecontrol unit and is superimposed on a drip pan 7 having a heat shield 8disposed below. A threaded bolt 9 extends through the cooking grill 5, athreaded bore 43 formed through the drip pan 7 and a threaded nut 10 onthe heat shield. Accordingly, the height of the heat shield and drip pancan be varied to adjust the heat intensity directed toward the cookinggrill.

The above described design allows the device to be used as a dry cookerfor grilling, boiling, baking and barbecuing. The food item is simplyplaced on the cooking grill and the glass cover is superimposed on thebase pan. The base pan is placed on a conventional, auxiliary heatsource such as a stove burner whereby the cover will direct heatgenerated thereby about the food item periphery.

The device may be converted to a broiler or fryer by removing the heatcontrol unit, i.e., the cooking grill, the drip pan and the heat shield.A frying pan 12 or simmering pan 13 is positioned within the base pandepending upon the application. The frying pan 12 includes anupwardly-stepped interior surface having a first rim 45 that seats onthe lower groove 4 and a second rim 46 that rests on the upper groove 3.A third, uppermost rim 47 receives the outer periphery of the cover. Thestepped interior surface of the frying pan forms a ledge 70 thatsupports a heating grill 11; a low-profile broiling pan 16 is placedonto the heating grill for poaching, steaming and broiling a desiredfood item.

The simmering pan 13 includes a first rim 50 that seats on the lowergroove 4 and an upper rim 51 for supporting the cover with ahigh-profile intermediate portion 75 therebetween. The additional spacecreated by the high-profile intermediate portion allows the simmeringpan to accommodate a high-profile broiling pan 15, which may be used forsoups, larger cuts of meat, etc. As with the frying pan, the simmeringpan includes an interior ledge 71 that suspends the heating grill 11.

The above described device is not limited to the exact details ofconstruction and enumeration of parts provided herein. Furthermore, thesize, shape and materials of construction of the various components canbe varied.

Although there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, it will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art that modifications may be made thereto which do not exceed thescope of the appended claims. Therefore, the scope of the invention isonly to be limited by the following claims.

1. A portable multipurpose cooking utensil comprising: a base pan havinga lower surface, a continuous outer wall, an interior cooking chamberand an open top, said outer wall having an interior surface; an uppercontinuous groove formed on the interior surface of said outer wall; alower continuous groove formed on the interior surface of said outerwall; a grill received within the lower groove; a cover received withinthe upper groove; a venting means on the lower surface of said base panfor providing heat from an auxiliary heat source to the cooking chamberwhereby said base panel is placed on said heat source allowing items tobe cooked on said grill.
 2. The portable multipurpose cooking utensilaccording to claim 1 further comprising means for controlling atemperature within said cooking chamber.
 3. The portable multipurposecooking utensil according to claim 2 wherein said means for controllinga temperature within said cooking chamber comprises: a drip panpositioned beneath said grill; a heat shield positioned beneath saiddrip pan and above said vent; means for selectively varying a height ofsaid heat shield.
 4. The portable multipurpose cooking utensil accordingto claim 3 wherein said means for selectively varying a height of saidheat shield comprises a threaded bolt extending through said grill, saiddrip pan and a threaded bore formed within the heat shield wherebyrotation of said bolt effects vertical movement of said heat shield. 5.The portable multipurpose cooking utensil according to claim 1 whereinsaid venting means comprises a pair of crescent-shaped vents formed onthe lower surface of said base pan.
 6. The portable multipurpose cookingutensil according to claim 5 further comprising a circular bafflepositioned above said vents, said baffle having two upturned sectionsthat more efficiently direct heat into the cooking chamber.
 7. Theportable multipurpose cooking utensil according to claim 1 wherein saidcover includes a heat-resistant knob on an upper portion thereofallowing the cover to be removed without protective articles.
 8. Theportable multipurpose cooking utensil according to claim 1 furthercomprising a frying pan received within said base pan, said frying panincluding an upwardly-stepped interior surface having a first rim thatseats on the lower groove within the base pan, a second rim that restson the upper groove within the base pan, a third uppermost rim thatreceives an outer periphery of the cover and an interior ledge thatsupports said grill; a low-profile broiling pan positioned on saidgrill.
 9. The portable multipurpose cooking utensil according to claim 1further comprising a simmering pan received within said base pan, saidsimmering pan including a first rim that seats on the lower groovewithin the base pan, an upper rim that supports said cover and aninterior ledge that supports said grill; a high-profile broiling panpositioned on said grill.
 10. The portable multipurpose cooking utensilaccording to claim 7 wherein said cover is transparent.